The Life I've Always Dreamed Of
by Lovingandbeingloved
Summary: A different look at the baby storyline. In this story, Will struggles over the thought of giving his child up for adoption. Nick does not exist in my version of events, and Gabi plans on returning to her home with her mother. This will be a multi-chapter story.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm pregnant."

"Okay. You can get through this, Gabi."

"No, Will. You don't fucking get it. I'm pregnant, it's your kid, and I don't want it. I don't want anything to do with it."

That was how Will found out he was going to be a father. That was the day his world had been turned on its axis. He remembered when his life had been so simple, and now, now everything seemed so complicated. He had convinced Gabi not to abort the baby. He wouldn't have ever been able to live with himself if they just pretended like this never happened. He needed to figure out what he was going to do. Was he going to be a father to this child or give it up for adoption? Either way, Gabi had made it crystal clear that she wanted nothing to do with the decisions, the kid, or Will's life. She was going to have the baby and then leave Salem to go back to her family.

Will knew he couldn't make the decision on his own. He knew that above all else, Sonny deserved to know about the baby, and truthfully, there was no one else he'd rather tell and get advice from. Sonny had taken the news better than expected. He appreciated the truth, and he knew how much Will was hurting. He wanted to help, but deep down inside, he knew Will was the only one who could make the decision about what to do about the baby.

"I'll stand beside you, whatever you decide, I'll be right here."

"Sonny, I just- I just- I love you so much. I have no clue what to do. I want to be a father to this baby, but I know I'm not ready. I know that I don't have the resources or the time or the patience or the…"

He was so choked by the words flowing out of his mouth and the tears that were stinging his eyes and streaming down his ruby cheeks. Sonny pulled Will into a tight hug and let him sob into his shirt for hours. Will clung to Sonny's arms. His brain was on overload. He had so many thoughts running through his mind. All he could see when he closed his eyes was this gorgeous baby. He knew though, that he had answered his own question when talking to Sonny. He couldn't be a dad. He was 19. He could barely handle himself most days. He was lucky if he got out of bed by noon, even luckier if he made it to class on time. Selfishly, he didn't want to give up his time with Sonny or his friends. He wanted to be able to play basketball on the weekends, curl up on Sonny's bed and play video games, or go out to parties and dance until his legs felt like noodles. He wasn't ready for the responsibility of a child, clearly he was incredibly irresponsible. He had fucking gotten Gabi pregnant. He took in several deep breaths, trying to calm himself, trying to stop the tears from burning his eyes.

"Son, I-I-I have to gi-ive the baby up, up for adoption."

He barely got the words out. Sonny held Will even tighter. He picked him up and carried him into his bedroom. He laid Will on the bed and curled his body into his. Will continued crying until he fell asleep, asleep in Sonny's forgiving arms.

Three months after Will found out about the baby and made the decision to give it up for adoption, he decided it was time to tell his family. He had waited because he didn't want his mom or one of his many relatives trying to make the decision for him or dictate his life. He was finally starting to make peace with his decision, and he couldn't handle anyone trying to change his mind. He was afraid that he could be persuaded to keep the baby, and he knew that wasn't what he wanted or what was best. He told his grandma Marlena first, realizing that she would be the most understanding and give the best advice about telling everyone else. He was right. She calmly took in the information and rubbed her grandson's back when he started to get choked up. She told him he was doing what was best for him and for the baby, and if he needed anything he was always welcome to come to her. She reminded him that his mother would most definitely not take the news so well. He knew she was right, but he also knew it was time to tell her.

"Mom, I'm giving the baby up for adoption; I've already decided. I have to. I can't do what you did; I'm sorry."

"But, Will, this is my grandchild. I can help you through this. We can get through it together."

"No. Stop. This isn't about you or us. This is about me, and I'm not ready to be a father."

His mom didn't talk to him for nearly a month after he walked out. When she finally did talk to him again, she didn't bring up the baby. She almost acted like the conversation had never happened. He wasn't sure if this was good for him or bad. Either way, he let it go because he didn't care. He and his mom had never had the greatest relationship, so it was easier to just forget it. Move on.

Telling his dad on the other hand, was much more difficult. Lucas was understanding. He "got it" from a young father perspective. He hadn't been ready to be a dad when Will came along. Sometimes he still thought he wasn't ready. He wasn't sure he always did the right thing for his son. He felt like he had let him down by not being there for him. For that reason, he hoped Will would be happy with his decision.

"Thanks for understanding, dad."

"Will, I'm glad you came to this decision on your own, and I hope this is what is best for you. I hope you don't regret this."

Will knew he didn't mean that in a negative way, but it crushed him. It scared him. He hoped he didn't regret this either.

Five months into Gabi's pregnancy, Will found out the baby was a girl. She was perfectly healthy and Will had gotten to hear her little heartbeat for the first time. Gabi had just laid there on the exam table, head turned away from the monitor. As soon as the exam was over she left without saying much. She handed him the sonogram photo and said "Good luck." Will wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. Good luck with your kid? Good luck making a decision? Good luck trying to be a father? He hated her for the way she was treating the situation. He knew she didn't want to be carrying his child, but didn't she remember their friendship? Didn't she care at all? He supposed if she didn't care she would have just aborted the baby without telling Will. He was thankful for that at least.

"I saw the baby today."

"And? How is it?"

"She's perfect. Sonny, I need to find a family for her or I'm afraid I'm going to get too attached."

Will had found an adoption agency to go through. He explained the bizarre situation, and the agent was very understanding. She even hugged Will when he began to break down. How could this person do this every day? How could she watch people that were hurting so badly give away their children? Looking at the flip side, Will realized it must be worth it to see someone who has been waiting for a child for SO long, finally hold a baby in their arms. Will had asked to begin looking at some parent profiles. He went home that night with a stack of manila folders containing names, occupations, hobbies, and explanations of why they wanted his baby. It all seemed so easy, too easy for him to just give away his child, a piece of him. He sifted through the papers, overwhelmed, exhausted. When Sonny came home, he found Will curled up in a blanket on the couch with papers lying on his chest. Sonny picked up the papers and tucked the blanket up under his boyfriend's chin. He looked at the two papers in his hands. It seemed Will had been looking at potential parents, and these two must have stood out. The papers contained the pictures and profiles of Pete and McKenzie, the perfect all-American couple and Shane and Scott, a couple of handsome guys married for just over a year. Sonny sunk into a kitchen chair, afraid that maybe Will was making the wrong decision. Maybe they could be a family; maybe they should keep the baby. When Will woke from his nap he found Sonny in the kitchen making dinner and the two papers lying on the kitchen table.

"So, I think I want to meet Pete and McKenzie."

"Oh? Why them?"

"Because I don't think I can give my baby to a gay couple. I feel like I'll be giving them the life I've been dreaming of. I think it will hurt too much."

Sonny dropped his head and tears began streaming out of his eyes. Will didn't realized this process had been hurting him so much. He didn't know that Sonny was in just as much pain as he was. Despite the pain, Sonny agreed that they weren't ready to be parents. They had too many things left to do together, just them. They wanted to have a family someday. They wanted what Shane and Scott had, a happy, stable marriage. They knew that they needed to grow up before they had that, and so they decided to meet Pete and McKenzie.

Seven months into Gabi's pregnancy, the baby was still healthy, strong, and growing. Gabi still didn't want to have anything to do with Will. Will had told her he was considering adoption, but she didn't seem to care much. She just said, "Whatever you need to do," and left. Will and Sonny went to meet up with Pete and McKenzie at the agency. They were nervous as they entered the small brick building, holding hands and breathing in deep. You could see the shock on the couple's face when two men walked in, hand-in-hand. Obviously, the agent hadn't yet explained the situation to them. The two couples exchanged pleasantries and Will began telling the story of how this baby came to be. He was pleased to see the couple didn't seem to mind that he was gay. They suggested going to dinner together to get to know each other on a more personal level.

"We've wanted a baby for forever. We started dating in high school, and when we got married and found out I wasn't going to be able to carry a baby to term, I was crushed. Pete has always dreamed of being a father, and I hate that I've taken that from him."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. We're hoping we'll meet someone that we click with. We just want to give some baby the life that their biological parents can't give them."

After that first meeting, Will was sure that Pete and McKenzie were the couple that he wanted to give his daughter to. They were both so smart. McKenzie had two degrees, one in education and one in counseling. She was a school counselor at a middle school. Pete worked at a university as the athletic director, and he was working on his master's degree in sports administration. They seemed to have it all together. They were funny and happy. They joked with each other and laughed at the other's jokes. They had a dog and a fenced in yard. They were athletic and liked playing softball on a co-ed league. Both Pete and McKenzie had two siblings a piece, and each of them had what seemed to be perfect little families. Will couldn't imagine finding a more perfect couple. Sonny liked them too. He thought they would raise Will's daughter to be level-headed yet open-minded because that's how they seemed. They loved to travel, and he knew they would turn the baby into a very worldly individual. They led healthy lifestyles and had a good set of friends in their hometown. He thought they were well-rounded and balanced. After talking it over, they agreed, Pete and McKenzie were perfect.

Three weeks before Gabi's due date, Pete and McKenzie joined Will at Gabi's check-up. McKenzie was excited to get to see her baby for the first time. She was trying not to become too attached yet, after all, nothing had been finalized. She hadn't even met Gabi for goodness sakes. She was excited though, excited at the prospect of this whole thing working out. In a matter of a few weeks, her dreams of becoming a mother could come true. Will introduced them to Gabi. Gabi was cold, abrasive, angry, but Pete and McKenzie thought she was gorgeous, the perfect DNA for their potential child. Will tried to alleviate the awkward situation, but Gabi said, "Let's just get this over with." Pete, McKenzie, and Will watched in awe as the doctor moved the wand over Gabi's expanded belly. McKenzie couldn't help but focus in on Will's face. He had tears in his eyes, and he had that look of love, love that only parents have for their children. He blinked back the tears and sniffled, trying to put a calm smile on his face. McKenzie looked back at Gabi's harsh expression.

"Thank you, thank you Gabi for giving us the opportunity to be parents, the opportunity for me to be a mother. Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Thank him. I just want this to all be over with. This is a memory I won't mind forgetting."

Will couldn't understand how Gabi had developed absolutely no connection to their daughter. How could she not have one ounce of compassion for the baby she was carrying? How could she act like the baby that was kicking her wasn't a part of her? He hated her for how she was acting. He hated that this was all just a means to an end. He couldn't stay in the room one second longer, so he excused himself to the hallway, where Sonny's loving arms were waiting for him. Sonny looked into Will's glossy blue eyes. He knew this was all becoming more real to Will. This was more real for him too, and he wasn't positive anymore that they were making the right decision. Will sobbed into Sonny's shoulder. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. He couldn't see straight. Pete and McKenzie came out of the room holding the first picture of their potential daughter, the daughter they had been praying for. They saw Will and Sonny in a tight embrace and stood back to give them space. They knew Will was upset. They knew this was hard for him, but they didn't realize just how much he was struggling with the decision until now. He had seemed so sure during all of their visits. Sonny pulled back from Will and looked him in the eyes. McKenzie couldn't stop staring at them. She could hear their every breath, every sob. She felt the pain for them, but she equally felt pain for herself, scared of Will changing his mind.

"Will, I love you, it will be okay. It will all be okay."

"No Son, it won't be okay. How is this so easy for Gabi? How can she just give away her child? I don't know if I can do this anymore; I just don't know if I can."


	2. Chapter 2

"Will, I love you, it will be okay. It will all be okay."

"No Son, it won't be okay. How is this so easy for Gabi? How can she just give away her child? I don't know if I can do this anymore; I just don't know if I can."

"Will pleeeeeaaase, please don't do this to me. All I've ever wanted is to be a mother. I love this little girl. I want to be her mom; I already feel like I'm her mom. Please don't take this away from me."

McKenzie's words snapped Will out of the defunct state he was in. He turned around and stared into McKenzie's pleading eyes. Tears dripped slowly down her beautiful, pale cheeks. He so badly wanted to call it off, forget this adoption process had ever happened, but he knew he couldn't do that to this desperate woman. She wanted his baby. She wanted to give her an amazing life. She wanted to love her and hold her and be a mother to her. Will knew he could never offer that life to his little girl. He knew she deserved more than some 19 year old kid, pretending he knew how to be a father, while balancing school, a boyfriend, and a mess of family issues. He felt bad that he had put her through this hell of wondering if he would change his mind, so he wiped his eyes and bowed his head.

"See you all next week to sign the papers."

Two weeks before Gabi's due date Will met up with Pete and McKenzie at the agency to sign all of the official paperwork. He had been thinking very hard about whether the adoption would be closed or open. Pete and McKenzie said they would be fine either way. Will thought it would be much harder on himself to watch his daughter grow up, but at the same time, he wanted, no needed, to know she was safe, healthy, happy. He wanted everything for her. He had sort of devised a plan, a plan so that he could be part of her life without her ever knowing he was anything other than a family friend. He hated the idea of lying to her, but deep down he knew this was the only way he would be comfortable letting two practical strangers walk out of the hospital with his baby in their arms.

"So let me get this clear, you want an open adoption, but you don't want your identity ever revealed to your daughter?"

"That's right, I think it's best if she just believes you are her parents. I just want to be able to see pictures of her and be a small part of her life."

"I think, I think that is okay with us."

Pete looked on at Will with a sorrow in his eyes. He felt bad for the kid. He wanted to be able to share when the baby took her first step or when she went to her first day of kindergarten. He wanted Will to feel included. McKenzie was surprisingly okay with the idea as well. Will had thought it might take some convincing to get her to go along with his plan, but instead she just smiled and nodded at the suggestion. They decided that Will would be a part of the baby's life. They would play him off as an old student of Pete's whom he had become very attached to. Will would get at least a monthly update, and it would be up to Pete and McKenzie's discretion as to whether he was invited to birthday parties or other functions. He was satisfied with this. For the first time since visiting the adoption agency he felt like he could breathe. He signed his name on the dotted line of the countless papers. He tried not to cry as he scribbled his signature over and over again. As he signed the last paper, McKenzie let out an audible breath she had not even realized she was holding. She beamed as she thought of bringing home her daughter in just a short amount of time. She knew Gabi would sign the papers without a problem, and she felt at ease, contented.

"Thank you, Will. Thank you... We did have one question for you."

"Ok."

"Umm… did you have any names in mind for her?"

Will had tried to push that thought far from his mind. He had tried not to even think about names because that just added another level of attachment that he didn't want to have. Before finding out Gabi was pregnant, he had always thought about having children someday. He and Sonny had even talked about the prospect of a family, and Will always wondered what they would name their children. They made a list once of their top five favorite names. They never showed each other the list, they each just hid it in a small box and decided that when it was time to start a family, they would pull out the box and compare the names they had chosen. Will thought about the girl's names that he had written on that paper. None of those names fit. They were all names that he had chosen for his child with Sonny. In that moment, Will knew that he was finally coming to grips with the fact that this wasn't his baby; it wasn't their baby. She belonged to Pete and McKenzie. She was theirs now, and as much as it hurt him to admit that, he was finally happy and at peace.

"No, she's your daughter. I think you guys should be the ones to choose her name."

One week before Gabi's due date Will got a call from Gabi in the middle of the night. She said her water broke and she was having contractions. Will woke Sonny from his restful slumber and they quickly drove to Gabi's house to take her to the hospital. On the way, Sonny called Pete and McKenzie to let them know that they were going to be parents soon. The excitement and panic in McKenzie's voice must have been audible from space, as she screamed and cried and laughed, thanking Sonny for calling to wake them.

Gabi got checked into the hospital and was beginning to move along nicely. Pete and McKenzie arrived about 30 minutes later; they talked with Sonny in the hallway while Will sat with Gabi in her room. The tension in the room was unbearable as Gabi screamed in agony and Will did his best to offer her support and patience.

"I hope this has all been worth it for you, Will, to give up this kid that you fought me to keep."

"Gabi, not now."

"Give me the papers. I want to sign the papers now because as soon as she is out of me, I want out of here. I don't want to see her. I don't want to see you. I just want to get back to my old, normal life."

For the first time since all of this began, Will saw hurt and pain in Gabi's eyes. Her eyes glassed over as she squinted back tears and writhed in pain. He wondered if she was scared of seeing the baby and loving her. He wondered if she had any regrets, but he would never know because within minutes she had signed the papers and was fully dilated. Gabi didn't want anyone in the room when the baby was born, she had yelled when Will offered to be there to hold her hand, so he retreated to the hall like he was asked. Outside, Pete and McKenzie sat holding each other. A baby bag sat next to their chairs and McKenzie clutched a stuffed pink rabbit. As Will walked out of the room he saw Sonny sitting quietly in the corner by himself. Will had asked him not to tell anyone the baby was being born tonight. He couldn't handle the pressure of having anyone else there. He stared at Sonny from afar. Sonny looked sad or maybe just tired, either way, Will felt terrible about putting Sonny through all of this over the past few months. He would do anything to take it all back, but obviously, too late for that. Will wrapped his arms around Sonny's shoulders as they sat waiting. They could hear Gabi's screams from inside the room. Pete and McKenzie glanced up every few minutes. It seemed as if they wanted to say something but never did. After more than two hours of listening to Gabi screaming and crying they all heard what they had been waiting for, silence, then the sound of a crying baby. Will stood up and paced in front of the door. He couldn't wait to see her, feel her. The doctor came out a few minutes later holding a baby, swaddled in a light pink blanket.

"Will, Gabi said she didn't want to see the baby. Do you want to see her and hold her?"

"YES. Yes, please give her to me."

The doctor transferred the infant into Will's arms. Sonny rushed to them and held Will from behind as he stared into the baby's perfect blue eyes. Will let out light sobs as he swabbed her cheek lightly with his thumb. Pete and McKenzie looked on with tears in their eyes as well. Neither Will or Sonny could pull their eyes away from the little girl. She had dark locks on her tiny little head. Her bright blue eyes matched Will's perfectly and her little button nose had Will written all over it. In their private world, they forgot anyone else existed, Pete and McKenzie included. Will's sobs had turned into out and out bawling as he let Sonny hold the little girl. Sonny smiled down at the infant as he rocked her lightly and patted her bottom. Will crouched in front of Sonny and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"God, she's beautiful isn't she?"

"She's perfect, Will, absolutely perfect."

Will turned to Pete and McKenzie. He held his arms out to McKenzie, seeing the tears streaming from her eyes. They embraced for what felt like several minutes. Will wasn't ready to hand the baby over, but he knew the longer that he and Sonny held onto the little girl, the harder it would be to give her up permanently. Will returned to his boyfriend's side. He leaned down and picked up the baby. He kissed her on the forehead and breathed in her fresh, brand-new scent. Sonny and Will looked into each other's eyes. They nodded, each showing that they were ready to introduce the baby to Pete and McKenzie.

"McKenzie, Pete, I'd like to introduce you to your daughter…umm…"

"Lillian Wilhelmina."

"… Lillian Wilhelmina, meet your parents."


	3. Chapter 3

"McKenzie, Pete, I'd like to introduce you to your daughter…umm…"

"Lillian Wilhelmina."

"… Lillian Wilhelmina, meet your parents."

Will placed the baby into McKenzie's arms. He could tell she had been dying to hold her since the doctor brought her out of the room. Pete and McKenzie looked on in awe as they held their daughter for the first time. Will turned away and wrapped his arms tight around Sonny's torso. Sonny sighed as he brought Will's chin up to his. Their eyes bore through each other and Sonny kissed Will lightly on the lips then the forehead. For a moment, they stood staring at each other, tears glistening in each of their eyes. They decided to give Pete and McKenzie some privacy as they walked away slowly, hand-in-hand. As they turned down the hall, Will turned back.

"Umm… you- umm- you named her after…me?"

"Yes, Will. We'll never be able to thank you, but this is just a small token."

Will smiled and turned to continue walking with Sonny.

"Sonny… they're going to be great parents, aren't they? They love her so much already. I can tell. I can tell this is how it is supposed to be… but…but… I didn't know this would be so hard, seeing her, ya know? I thought it would be better if I knew she was healthy and strong and now- now I just don't know if I should have tortured myself that way. I don't know if I'll ever be okay with seeing her pictures. Maybe I should have chosen a closed adoption. Maybe we should have just let them take her away and never turned back. Maybe this would all be easier if…"

Will's voice trailed off as his sobs took over and Sonny's shoulder pressed firmly into his cheek. Sonny rubbed circles on Will's back, and Will quietly cried into his shoulder.

"Baby, let's go home for tonight. Tomorrow, we'll come back and see Lillian, we'll talk to Pete and McKenzie, and we'll be rested okay, I think that will make everything better."

Will tossed and turned all night, Sonny did his best to soothe him, but the next morning they both awoke, feeling less rested than when they laid down. After showering and grabbing a cup of coffee, they headed to the hospital to see the baby. When they walked up to the nursery, they saw Pete sitting in a rocking chair feeding Lillian a bottle. McKenzie stood outside with a huge smile on her face, and Will smiled for the first time in a long time, seeing how happy she was.

"Good morning."

"Oh, Will, Sonny, you startled me. I was so entranced watching those two; I think I've found my new favorite hobby. Good morning. Yes, it is a very good morning. The doctor said she is perfectly healthy and on track to head home tomorrow. We're just so thankful. She's so perfect."

"That's great, really great. Listen, McKenzie, can we chat for a minute?"

"Of course, what's up?"

"Well, umm, I was thinking and uhhh…last night Sonny and I were talking. I think I've changed my mind- and before you freak out, I don't mean about the adoption. Actually, I think you and Pete, you're her parents, you've always been her parents."

"You scared me for a second, Will. Thank you. I feel the same way. The minute I met you, I knew this was all going to work out."

"Exactly, so ummm I-I think it would be best if I wait a while to get updates from you guys. Maybe let me- let us get our life back to normal. Let you guys settle into a routine. Then, can I let you know when I'm ready to-to be a part of her life?"

McKenzie let a huge smile creep across her face as she wrapped her arms around Will.

"Of course, Will, we want you to have some part of her life IF that's what you want. When you're ready, you know exactly where to find us. I promise, absolutely promise that we have her best interest at heart. We love her so much."

"Great. I'm really happy we're on the same page. So, today, if it's okay with you, Sonny and I would like to spend the afternoon with Lillian and ya know, say goodbye and stuff."

"Of course."

"Okay, well we're going to go check on Gabi while Pete finishes feeding her, and then we'll be back."

Will and Sonny walked toward the nurses' station. They weren't sure which room Gabi had been put in, and even though she didn't particularly want to see them, they needed to make sure she was doing okay.

"Hi, can you tell me what room Gabriella Hernandez is in?"

"Well, no. She checked herself out against the doctor's recommendations this morning."

"What? Checked out? She just gave birth last night."

Will looked dumbfounded. How could she put her health at risk like this? How could she not even say goodbye? He was done with her antics. If she was gone, she was gone. If she didn't want to say goodbye, well then good riddens.

"Sonny, how could I have never known how cold, how heartless she was?"

"I don't know, Will, I don't know. Let's just go see that baby, what do ya say?"

"Yeah… but Sonny, one thing first. No more tears today, okay. I want today to be a happy day for us. And so, if you see me start to tear up, you have my full permission to slap me upside the head."

Sonny laughed and took Will's lips in his. For the first time in a long time, Sonny could see old Will coming back to the surface. He could again see the life they had planned together in the distance. This process had taken a toll on both of their well-beings. Mentally, Sonny wasn't sure they would make it through this, but now, now he was sure everything would be okay. Surprisingly, they were closer than ever before, and actually he felt like their relationship was far more stable. They had faced tough times in the past, but nothing like this. Sonny took Will's hand in his.

"Okay love, let's go spend the afternoon with Lillian, no tears, just happiness."

The nurse provided Will and Sonny with a private room for the afternoon to spend with Lilly. Sonny had been curious as to whether she would be called Lillian or given a nickname and Pete had quickly piped in with, "Lilly!" He thought Lillian sounded "too stuffy." Will and Sonny laughed as McKenzie jokingly pouted. Obviously she had chosen the name. Will cradled Lilly tightly in his arms as Sonny sat next to him caressing the tiny brunette curls on her baby-soft head.

"Aren't you just the most BEAUTIFUL baby? Yes you are. Yes you are."

"Sonny, I think she just smiled at you!"

"Nuh-uh, you think?"

Will and Sonny traded her back and forth as they took pictures and rocked her and laughed and smiled. They tickled and cooed, bounced and talked, and in the end, not one tear was shed. Before they knew it, they had been sitting in the room for over three hours with Lilly.

"I think it's time, Son. I think we need to officially hand her over to Pete and McKenzie."

"Yeah? It's up to you, but I think it's been a perfect day. I can't imagine a better one. Someday, we'll have this, babe. Someday when we're ready, we'll have…"

As Sonny spoke, Will's phone began to buzz beside them. He looked at the screen as it lit up with the word "Mom" across the top of the screen. Will silenced the phone.

"I'll deal with that later, what were you saying?"

"I was just saying, someday, we'll have it all. You say the word, and it's yours. I will do anything for you."

Will smiled and walked into the hallway and asked Pete and McKenzie to come into the room with them.

"We can't thank you enough for letting us spend the day with her. I don't know if you heard all the laughing, but I think you've got one funny little lady on your hands! She makes the best faces. Umm… Sonny and I-uhh we want to thank you, seriously from the bottom of our hearts for loving her, for the kindness you've shown us."

McKenzie's eyes glazed over and before one tear could fall Sonny wiped his hand across her cheek and said, "Hey, we made a no tears rule for the day, and I think that applies to you too."

They all laughed and shared each other's company for another hour as Lilly slept quietly in Will's arms. Before handing her to Pete, Sonny and Will took one final photo together with the little girl. As they transferred her into Pete's arms she started to whimper quietly.

"Okay, well, that's our cue. If she breaks the no tears rule, I can't promise I'll be able to keep my own rule. Goodbye, beautiful Lillian Wilhelmina."

Sonny took Will's hand as they quietly walked out the door and left Pete and McKenzie behind. Their pace quickened as they hurried to get out of the hospital and detach themselves from the memory of leaving Lilly. Will pulled his phone out of his pocket with his free hand, put it on speaker and hit the voicemail in his inbox.

"WILL… THIS IS YOUR MOTHER! I just got off the phone with Rafe and he said his sister left town. You can imagine how shocked I was. Did she have the baby, did she take the baby? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? I swear to God, Will, if she had that baby and you didn't tell me…that's MY GRANDCHILD, WILL! PLEASE, call me back."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm not dealing with her right now. Can we just go home, please?"


	4. Chapter 4

**I just want to thank those of you who have commented or followed. I am not usually someone who posts in this forum; I am more of a lurker. I do really enjoy reading other people's work, and I just wanted to take my own stab at it. If you are following along with me, thanks! I appreciate it!**

"I just want to go home."

Sonny smiled and took Will's hand in his. As they drove home, he never let go of the warm comfort of his boyfriend's clammy hands. It had been a hard day on both them, but knowing that they were doing the right thing made everything worthwhile. If Sonny was sure of anything, he knew he loved Will and he would absolutely stand beside him, good times or bad as long as he lived. As they pulled into the parking lot of their apartment, Will noticed a familiar car sitting in the spot that Sonny's car typically occupied. His eyes drifted past the car to the front door of their apartment. He glared furiously as he saw his mother leaning against the door jam. Sonny squeezed Will's hand a little tighter.

"Sonny, I can't fucking deal with her today. Not now."

"I know, babe. I'll go talk to her. I'll tell her to stop back by later."

"You can tell her, if she is going to bring the baby up, she can stop back by never…"

Before Will could even complete his thought, Sami Brady, in all her glory stormed toward the car, outstretched arms flying through the air, yelling something that neither Sonny nor Will could make out. Will took a deep breath as Sonny put the car in park and they prepared to disembark and face Sami's wrath.

"William Robert, where the HELL have you been? I tried calling you a thousand times. Sonny, I tried calling you too, and obviously neither of you could give me the time of day. What is going on? I've been waiting here for over two hours, hoping that you all would be back, praying that you, Will, did not just make the worst decision of your life."

Sami's questions were rapid fire. The words flew out of her mouth faster than Will could even process them. The whole time, Sonny kept a firm, yet comforting hand wrapped around his boyfriends torso. He knew that Will's mother's timing and words could potentially shatter the already fragile Will into a million tiny pieces. Will felt water welling up in his eyes. These weren't sad tears, no there were angry, hurt tears. Will felt like a volcano that was about to spill over and unleash years of pent up fury.

"Mom. If I wanted to talk to you right now, I would have returned your RUDE call. No, I didn't just make the worst decision of my life; I just made the hardest fucking decision I've ever had to make. Honestly, I can't do this with you right now. I'm tired, I'm overwhelmed. I just want to peacefully go into my apartment and curl up in Sonny's arms and take a long nap. When we wake up from that nap, I want to take my boyfriend out for a nice a dinner and remind him of how much I love him. I want to thank him for supporting me through the absolute worst eight months I think we will ever go through."

Will had been so calm as he spoke those words, but anyone who truly knew him could have read the unbridled exhaustion and irritation with his mother from a mile away. Sonny smiled shyly as he curled his fingers gently into the soft skin of Will's sides. Sami looked on furiously, obviously unwilling to let the issue go.

"So you did it? YOU GAVE THE BABY AWAY DIDN'T YOU? DIDN'T YOU?"

Will met his mother's screams with a cool and collected one word answer.

"Yes."

"WHAT? WHAT? How could you Will? How could you do this to your own child? You are NOT the son I raised you to be."

"I'm done. Come on, Son."

The two men pushed toward the door of their apartment. Sonny was feeling even more furious following the cruel words that dripped out of Sami's mouth so easily. As Sami reached toward the door to stop them, Sonny found himself boiling over.

"Sami, I swear to God, you better get out of our way or I will call the police. Will told you he doesn't want to talk right now, and I need you to let him be."

As Sonny pushed the door open, Sami grabbed Will's shoulder.

"This is not over, Will. I will be back tomorrow, and we are going to have a serious fucking conversation about how to get that baby back. She will be back with my family if it's the last thing I do."

"Like hell."

Will didn't mean to slam the door in his mother's face, but frankly he didn't particularly care. He curled into the comfort of Sonny's arms and started to sob, so much for the no tears rule for the day.

"Hey you, stop. Don't let her get to you, okay. Okay?"

Sonny lifted Will's chin so his blue eyes met his own. For a second, Will looked lost, but Sonny immediately calmed him. They stared at each other, no words uttered for several minutes until Will finally broke the silence.

"You're right. I want to forget about this right now. Ya know how outside I said I wanted to curl into your arms and take a nap?"

"Yah. Let's go."

"Nuh-uh, Son. I've changed my mind. I want to curl into your arms, but the last thing I want to do is take a nap."

Will leaned in and licked his lips slowly, eyeing Sonny the entire time.

"You know when you do that it really…"

Before Sonny could finish his sentence, Will had his firm, wet lips pressed against Sonny's mouth. Sonny opened up immediately and Will began to explore, not only with his tongue, but also with his hands. He made quick work of unbuttoning Sonny's jeans and pushed his hands slowly up and down Sonny's abs. Sonny felt like his mouth was out of control, he couldn't push himself deep enough and he couldn't get enough of Will's unique, sweet taste. His hands began to roam as he removed the buttons of Will's shirt and slid the shirt quickly to the ground. Will pushed Sonny backwards down the hall to their bedroom, along the way shoving him gently against the wall to suck and lick his neck. It was like a test of agility and dominance as they bounced back and forth, drowning in each other and shedding the remainder of their clothes, until finally they reached their bedroom. Sonny was typically the one who took control in the bedroom, but not today. Will tucked his hands under Sonny's voluptuous behind and carried him the rest of the way into the room.

"Will, what has gotten into…"

And again before Sonny could complete his thought, Will stopped him with his tongue this time swooping in for a kiss then slowly licking his way down Sonny's chest. It had been so long, too long since they had been together like this that Sonny found himself so worked up, so quickly that he couldn't even speak. His head hung limply behind him as he arched his back as Will worked his way lower and lower down his body.

"God I love you, Sonny," Will breathed as he took Sonny's fullness to the back of his throat. Sonny couldn't get any words out, only short choppy moans that Will knew reciprocated his "I love you." They rolled around on the bed and fought each other until Sonny couldn't fight anymore. He wanted Will too take possession of him and the love they shared. He wanted Will's body too much, no, he needed Will's body too much. Now. He needed to be reminded that Will loved him, that regardless of everything that had happened, they were still the Will and Sonny from before. He gave in to Will, the love of his life and let him be in complete control that night.

Will did everything that Sonny loved. He hit all the spots that he knew drove Sonny crazy. He twisted and contorted his body putting just the right pressure on his lover. He ground into him and caressed him like Sonny had never felt before. Will needed Sonny to know, to see that he could be whole again, that the love they share was stronger because of this, that everything was going to be okay.

By the end of the night, they both lay limply on each other, breathing heavy, exhausted from the amazing love-making. They both had forgotten how important this aspect of their relationship was, and they knew that it was absolutely vital that they make time for each other, not that either of them needed to be told twice. The past few months had been heartbreaking and difficult, but they were ready to continue facing life's challenges together. Will ran his fingers slowly up Sonny's muscular arms.

"Thank you for everything; for today, for yesterday, for forever. I honestly can't begin to explain to you how important you are to me. These past few months, you have been my rock. And today, my God today, you stood up to my mother. I just want you- no I need you to know that I would not be the person I am without you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Will. Whatever challenges life throws our way, we'll face them together."

"Absolutely."

They slowly drifted off to sleep caressing each other lightly, wrapped tightly in the other's arms. Despite the rough day they had and the rough days ahead, they were content and in love, and right now that was perfect.


End file.
